The Influence of a Fae
by snowflakes849
Summary: What if Sookie was a bit younger when she came across Eric and how would this effect Godric's life?
1. Chapter 1

The Influence of a Fae

By: snowflakes849

**Summary:** What if Sookie was a bit younger when she came across Eric and how would this effect Godric's life?

**AN: **I was reading "Truly Dead Until Dark" by Bast-the-Beast and loved it. So, I went to look at her favorites because usually good authors have great taste in other stories. This led me to the series "God of the Living Dead" by IceK7-1. It was FABULOUS! (Sadly, it isn't finished yet. I am anxiously waiting for the next update. If you haven't read either of the previously mentioned fics, stop now! Don't even bother with my silly story. GO and read them right now! You won't regret it.)

I had never given a thought to the idea of a Godric/Sookie pairing because I lean towards Eric/Sookie. (Sorry, but I can't stand Bill.) Anyway, now I'm hooked on G/S. In fact, I had an argument with myself over the different merits of G/S vs. E/S. (I don't really like G/S/E unless it is needed for a good plot.) So, my mind has spun off into another plane of existence, planning a way that I can tell a good G/S without feeling like I'm betraying Eric. (I know I'm nuts; you really don't need to PM me to tell me.)

In order to do this, I will be changing some facts and a bit of the characters histories. Anything major will be in an AN (hopefully not a long as this one) at the beginning of a chapter…. Unless you're not supposed to know it yet. (Has no one heard of suspense?)

Enough of my senseless ramblings. On with the story!

**Chapter 1: Warning**

Sookie rode down the highway, the full moon bright and high in the cool, spring sky. She was good sized for 15 so as long as she kept the dark visor down on her helmet, no cop would know she was underage and pull her over. Anyway, the cops weren't the biggest obstacle that posed dangerous on this little adventure of hers. If Gran found out about her taking Granddaddy's old Norton out for a test spin, she's have a stroke and then ground Sookie until she was moved out. That's why she'd had to bribe Jason to keep a lid on it. But, it wouldn't matter how much money she'd handed over to her brother if Gran got home from the Seniors Spring Festival before Sookie was back in bed.

She didn't see what the big deal was about her riding the Norton anyway. She'd ridden dirt bikes with Jason before and Granddad had taught her all about motorcycles before he'd died. Although, Jason had crashed and broke his arm and collarbone. Maybe that's why Gran had made it clear no one living under her roof would own a motorcycle.

Technically, Sookie didn't own it, so she wasn't really disobeying Gran, right?

She'd better get to the bar and back ASAP.

GSGSGSGSGSGSGSGS

Ten fifteen and it looked like a small line was forming outside _Fangtasia_.

Sookie snorted as she dropped the kick-stand and cut the engine. What a name!

At 5'2" and wearing faded blue jeans and a jade green wind-breaker, she got many looks from the leather clad patrons. It most-likely didn't help matters that she'd lost the helmet, revealing her youthful face.

Pam stood at the entrance in a hot pink dress and her favorite pink and purple pumps. Her face was done up perfect and her hair was straight as a pin.

One look at Sookie and she gave a dry chuckle. "Oh, honey, I may not be great with human ages anymore, but I know a child when I see one. Run back home now." With a flick of her wrist, she shooed the girl and turned back to the growing line.

Sookie jumped in front of her. "Wait! I'm not here to go into the club, I promise!" she cried. This woman, vampire she'd bet by the void she felt in her brain, couldn't turn her away before she even got to warn them!

Pam looked down her nose at the child. Why wouldn't she just go away?

Regaining her composure, Sookie smiled politely. "Hi! I'm Sookie Stackhouse and I have something really important that I need to tell the owner of this establishment. I know it's illegal to let me in, so if you could please get the owner, it'd be very helpful!"

She wanted to have Eric brought out to meet her? Pam sneered down at the girl named Sookie. "I'm sorry, but he won't be bothered by some random little girl. Now, leave."

"But, it's a matter of great urgency! Someone could get hurt tonight!"

Enough! "Oh, yes, someone could get hurt tonight." Pam's fangs popped out and she hissed. "Now, go home before that happens!" Done with the young human, she turned away, already reaching for the next persons ID.

Sookie sighed in frustration and stomped her foot. This stupid vampire wasn't going to listen to her. "But, I have to warn him about the drainers," she mumbled.

Pam froze. Drainers? Damn. If Eric heard that someone came forth with info on drainers and she didn't get him, he'd be pissed, even if the person was a pesky, underage girl. She couldn't be more than 16. Probably stole her mommy's car the second she got her license and was dared by her friends to pull this prank. But, on the off chance she really had information….

Sighing, she motioned for Daniel, the bouncer, to take over checking Ids. "Alight, child. Come with me." She led Sookie around to the back of the club where they got there shipments of alcohol and True Blood. Since coming out of the coffin two years ago, they had been getting shipments almost every week to keep everything in stock. But, right now, they would have the privacy they needed without having to take the girl into the club to Eric's office.

_Eric!_ she called to her maker. He disliked being beckoned like a dog through their connection, so she only did it when important. He'd come.

The black door opened and Sookie felt like she was looking up at a blonde haired giant. Jeez, wasn't it enough that this guy was undead? Did he also have to be so intimidatingly tall?

Leaning against the doorway with the club lights flickering behind him, Eric sighed. "This is why you called me? An underage human trying to get in? That's your job, Pam. Just send her away."

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "I did, but she wouldn't leave. Says she has information on drainers."

One eyebrow rose and Eric turned back to the human. He'd barely glanced at her when he first came outside, but now he was intrigued. Mid-teens, blonde wavy hair, green eyes and an open face. She smelled delicious and virgin. In a few years, he'd be very interested in showing her a good time, though he got the faintest impression she wasn't the type to say yes easily.

"Ok. I'll hear her out. Thank you, Pam."

Taking the dismissal as it was intended, she left to get back to the front door.

Sookie watched her leave. Oh, now that she was here, she was nervous! But, the vampire deserved to have a heads-up. Squaring her shoulders, she turned back to the see the owner's blue-ice gaze glued to her.

Just breathe. "Hello. My name is Sookie Stackhouse and you're in danger."

Eric's lips twitched. Amusing. "Hello, Sookie. I'm Eric. And how is it that I'm in danger?"

He was laughing at her! Sookie couldn't believe it. Narrowing her eyes, she continued. "There's a couple of drainers that live near my home and I heard that they were planning on catching a vampire from the bar _Fangtasia_ and draining it. So, you have to tell all your employees to be careful."

She was so serious with her eyebrows puckered and her voice firm. Maybe it was because Eric was usually surrounded by pathetic and needy fang bangers, but he found this human to be a delight. "Well, little one, I will be sure everyone knows. But, I'm positive that we can take care of ourselves."

Sookie wanted to slap him. Or better yet, shake him so hard his head fell off. He wasn't taking this serious and the Rattrays were crazy!

"Now," Eric went on, " do you have a way to get home?"

It may have been that the music of the club was blasting in their ears; it may have been that they were both too distracted by the conversation, Eric amused and Sookie frustrated, but neither was prepared when the strand of silver wrapped around Eric's throat. Two hands grabbed him and brought his head against the doorframe, knocking him out.

Sookie watched in dismay. He was a vampire, so he would heal and come to in a few seconds, but Denise Rattray was stepping through the door and wrapping more silver around Eric in no time. She knew silver was bad for vampires, so what would that do to his healing process? To make matters worse, Mack followed after her, using multiple strand of silver to gag him so that he would not be able to use his voice when he woke.

"Let him go!" Sookie cried.

Demise looked up for the first time to recognize the voice that was yelling at them. "Sookie? What the hell are you doing here, girl?"

"Stopping you!" She jumped on Demise, trying to get her and the vials she'd pulled out of her bag away from Eric. The red head screamed as the little brat pulled her hair.

Mack pulled the girl off his wife easily and threw her to the side. He pulled a knife and gave her a gruesome smile. "Now, now, girly. You'd best just get out of here before we add little girl to the menu tonight."

Looking up at the crazed man from her spot on the ground, Sookie knew she couldn't stop them. Their thoughts were so fuzzy, red, and out of control. They were on V and she stood no chance against them.

But, when Demise stuck the needle in his arm, Sookie couldn't help herself. They were hurting him and would drain him until he was dead! Mack was distracted, too excited now that they were getting the blood he craved, and so Sookie stood up. With a cry, she jumped him and knocked the knife from his hand.

That was the scene to which Eric woke, a greedy-eyed woman stealing his blood while Sookie was thrown against the brick wall of his club by a crazed man.

Knowing she needed help, Sookie screamed at the same time Eric called to his child. "_Pam!_"

A single blur and suddenly both Rattrays were unconscious and Pam was leaning over her maker.

Sookie ran forward and untangled the silver from around Eric. She winced at the gaps of burned away flesh at either side of Eric's mouth, but they quickly healed. Soon, Eric was standing before Sookie as if nothing had happened. He regarded her with a bit more respect than he had previously.

"What you said came to pass and I thank you for coming to warn me. But, why would you care about a vampire? Most humans wish us dead or just use us for a thrill. You could have been hurt tonight. Why bother?"

She smiled. "Because people should look out for each other, including vampires. Besides, they were going to take what wasn't theirs and kill in the process. I couldn't just stand by and let them," she finished fiercely.

What a strange human, to truly want to help vampires. "How did you know?"

Sookie shuffled her feet under his gaze. "I told you. I heard about their plan."

His eyes narrowed. "I doubt that they would speak of such things in front of a child."

Placing her hands on her hips, she declared, "I am not a child. I am a young woman who just saved your life…. well, unlife. I would rather you not interrogate me because of it."

Eric hummed and turned to Pam. "Please deal with these two."

"Wait!" Sookie cried. "You're not going to kill them, are you?"

Pam frowned. What did this human think they were going to do? Give them a lecture and send them on their merry way? But, she kept her mouth shut out of respect to her maker.

"And what would you suggest we do other than that?" Eric asked in an annoyed tone.

Sookie looked at him as if he was an idiot. "Turn them over to the police." Duh!

He snorted. "And what would they do? Most humans still don't believe that vampires should have any rights, that we are less than they." He gestured to the unconscious bodies. "All these two would get is a slap on the wrist before they walked out the precinct doors. No, it's better if I handle it my own way."

"Buh- but, it's not right. You shouldn't hurt people. It's mean."

Pam burst out laughing. "Honey, we are mean."

Sookie crossed her arms. "Well, yes, but I helped you stop them and I think I should have a say in what happens now. I say that you turn them in."

Eric furrowed his brow. She was really starting to get on his nerves. Time for this to end.

He walked forward and bent down so that he was at eye level with the girl. Starring into her green orbs, he pushed his mind onto her. "Ok, little one. It's time you go home and forget all about tonight. I'll handle the rest."

The teen sneered at him. "You really think that I'm just going to walk away because you tell me to?"

He blinked and stepped back in surprise. One look at Pam and he could see she was unhappy too. For some reason this human was not responding to his glamour like she should.

"Now," Sookie went on, "I know that there are a lot of people who are against vampire rights and so, I understand your concern that the Rattrays won't be held accountable for their actions. But, you can turn them in to Bud Dearbourne of Bon Temps. He's the sheriff and a good man. He'll do right by you, I swear it."

"Bon Temps?" Eric looked at her skeptically.

Sookie hummed and nodded. "Bud knows how backwoods trash these two can be. Just have a human you trust turn them in tomorrow and Bud will come out tomorrow night to get your statements most likely."

She really thought that he would just follow her direction. Maybe she was getting a little too comfortable around them.

"And just how are you going to make me do this, little girl?" Eric asked, taking a menacing step towards her.

Sookie shivered but held her ground. "I did help you; may have even saved your life. The least you could do is do as I ask."

Balls. She had balls made of steel. Well, that or mush for brains. A slow smile crept across Eric's face. If only she was a few years older. "Fine, then. I'll do as you ask."

"Good!" She gave a firm nod and turned to leave. "I'll be watching the news and listening to the town gossip to make sure you keep you word. It you don't, I won't ever warn you about anything' again!" she called over her shoulder.

"What? You don't trust me?" Eric asked with humor.

Sookie turned back at the corner of the building and regarded him with a steady gaze. "No, Mr. Northman. I don't." With that, she walked around to the front of the club and climbed onto her granddaddy's bike.

Gran would be home soon and she needed to fly if she had any chance of beating her.

It wasn't until after he and Pam had locked the drainers in the basement and ordered Ginger to call the Bon Temps sheriff tomorrow that Eric realized he had never told Sookie his last name.

Tbc

OMG! Did Sookie read his mind? Will the Rattrays get there revenge? Sookie's really riding a motorcycle?

Please let me know what you're thinking, if anything surprised you, or excites you; if you want to see something happen or if you just have some advice!

This idea only popped into my head yesterday and I've been a slave to my ADHD muse for the past 28 hours. So, I'm not sure how fast I'll get the next chapter out. Hopefully soon if people like it!

Until next time!-

snowflakes


	2. Chapter 2

**The Influence of a Fae**

By: snowflakes849

**Summary:** What if Sookie met Eric when she was younger and how would this effect Godric's life?

**AN:** OH MY GOODNESS! So, my computer went bonkers the day after I posted the first chapter and I had to take it in to get fixed. :( I've snuck over to my dad's house and am using his computer. I just checked my email to see how people are reacting to the story and I can't tell you how happy I am! Thank you to everyone who put favorites or alerts on this story or on me and special thanks to those who reviewed! You are all awesome!

Also, sadly, there is no Godric in this chapter yet. And to answer a question from Adienna… Hmm, maybe I won't tell you yet… I'm headed in a certain direction with this story, but things can always change! So…. Please tell me your opinions! Do you lean towards Eric/Sookie or Godric/Sookie? And please say why! It would be nice to know where your thoughts are instead of just your preference.

This chapter is more focused on Sookie, her family, and history. It is kind of important because I changed a lot of her past from what the TV series says. That's also something I wanted to mention. Razzie11, thanks so much for your support, but I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. You see, I haven't read the books! :( I know, I'm terrible! I love to read, but I only actually started watching the series a little over a month ago because my brother suggested it. A few Saturday marathons and now I'm caught up. I did look up the books online and plan to read them, but, sadly, I haven't yet. What exactly is the difference in the books and TV series? Is it big?

Oh jeez, I'm rambling again. I told myself I wouldn't have another AN as long as the first chapters, but that doesn't seem to be happening. Sorry!

Oh, and ShiloCoulter, your language is definitely excused! Your review maybe my smile. And since you were the first to review, tell me something you want to see in the story and I'll try to work it in there!

Now, FINALLY, on with the story!

**Chapter 2: To Learn the Past**

The Saturday morning sun shone through Sookie's window, calling for her to wake and join it in celebration of a new day. But, she wasn't so cheerful. She may have been successful in stopping the Rattrays, but Gran had been sitting in the kitchen waiting for her when she stepped through the door at five past midnight. She didn't scold her granddaughter or ground her… yet. She had just guided Sookie upstairs and explained that they would talk in the morning once they were both rested.

Now, the night was over and Sookie felt nauseous.

When she finally forced herself out of bed and downstairs, she found Gran finishing a batch of homemade blueberry muffins. The table was set and dishes of bacon, sausage, and waffles were set out, all still warm. Jason was already finishing his first plate and reaching for more when he noticed Sookie enter. He froze, knowing what was coming because he had waited up 'til Gran got home. Now would be a good time to go and he headed for the door.

"Um, I'd better be heading out. Don't want to be late!" Since he was eighteen and almost finished high school, he'd been encouraged to get a job. Working for a carpenter was heavy labor, but he learned a lot and was happy to have something to do with his hands instead of his brain.

"You sit back down, Jason Stackhouse. You may have been hiding up in your bedroom last night, but I know you had a part in this and I intent to get all the details this morning," Gran called without turning from the oven. "I called Don already and told him you'd be late do to family reasons. So, take your seat and eat some more waffles."

Weary, the siblings exchanged looks and slowly took their seats opposite each other at the table. Gran didn't normally get upset enough to call a family meeting and they both knew that was exactly what she had done.

Gran put the last muffin in a weave basket and turned to place it on the table. She gently moved to take her seat and started to fill her plate. Following her lead, Sookie and Jason each reached for a blueberry muffin. Jason took a huge bite just as Gran started talking.

"You let Sookie take that motorcycle out last night, didn't you, Jason?"

His mouth went dry and it took a few swallows to force the pastry down his throat. "Well, I didn't exactly let her, Gran. There was no way of stoppin' her."

Gran gave a thoughtful hum. "And you didn't think of trying to get a hold of me at the church?"

"Um…" Jason scratched his head. How could he put this nicely so that Gran wouldn't be disappointed in him? Because that's the way Gran worked. She gave advice, a firm word now and then, a grounding when necessary. But, the absolute worst thing ever was when she looked at you with those knowing eyes and you realized she hadn't expected you, with all the wrong things you'd done, to fall so low.

"She sorta paid me to keep my knowledge to myself."

Gran didn't even look up from her food. "Really?"

Sookie wanted to yell that things haven't gone exactly like that. Yes, it was true that there was no way Jason could have stopped her, but he was the one who had blackmailed her into paying him. If she could have just gotten on that bike before he had noticed, she would still have her twenty dollars.

But, if she was honest with herself, it really wouldn't make a difference and her best option was to keep her mouth shut. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to get excited or defensive. When that happened, more information than was needed got out and everything turned out worse.

Gran put down her fork and poured herself a glass of orange juice. She'd had two cups of coffee already. After waking up in a cold sweat from nightmares starring her only granddaughter in unspeakable danger, she'd been unable to fall back to sleep. And right now, she didn't need any more caffeine to get her blood pumping.

"Well now, Sookie, what did you find so urgent you needed to use your grandfather's Norton? Wherever you went must have been very important for you to not only drive underage, but also risk your life on a bike that hasn't been properly tuned in almost ten years."

Sookie winced. She wished Gran would just yell at her and send her to her room. But, no. She had to try and understand what Sookie was thinking. It was worse because she felt like Gran was dissecting her every move and therefore her judgment and maturity. It was a terrible feeling.

"It was very important," was all she could manage.

"Oh?" Gran wasn't going to let her get away without more of an explanation.

"I heard someone thinking about hurting another person."

Gran gasped, horrified. "And you went off to stop them?"

"Of course I did! You've always said that I should use my gift to help people."

"Yes, but you went off alone!" Gran's voice became strained. "Why didn't you wait for me to come with you?"

Jason nodded. "Or me. I could have helped." He knew his sister was headstrong and could deal with a lot, but she was his little sister. He would have kept her from getting hurt. He had assumed last night that she was just sneaking out to see Tara or some other friend.

"Well, I couldn't wait for you Gran! You were at the Festival with your friends all evening yesterday and I had to stop the Rattrays last night!" Didn't Gran understand that there had been no time?

Sookie had been walking out of Merlotte's Arcade yesterday when she had heard Mack's intentions. He and Denise were heading across the street to Merlotte's Bar to get a few drinks and some food before driving to _Fangtasia_. She'd told Tara to go to her cousin's alone because something came up and she wouldn't be at the sleepover tonight. Tara had given her a look but left, knowing there was a reason for her best friend's odd actions.

Sookie had followed the Rattrays before she was stopped at the front door by the owner's son, Sam. He was a junior and his family had moved to town only four years ago, so he didn't hang out with Jason and the football players who had formed a tight friendship in elementary school. But, he knew the Stackhouses and was always nice to Tara and her even though they were two years younger.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" he'd smirked at the blonde.

"Sam, I need you to do me a favor." At her serious tone, he'd gone still. He didn't know her very well because of the little time they spent together, but he could tell this was important. Many of the townspeople talked like she was crazy, but he highly doubted it. She may act odd now and then, but that didn't really mean anything.

"What is it?"

"I need you to stall the Rattrays when they try to leave. For as long as you can."

Ok. Not what he'd been expecting and definitely not a good thing. "Sookie, please don't tell me you're getting yourself mixed up with people as dangerous and unstable as the Rattrays! I know you don't live here, but I'd hate if you had to stop visiting because it wasn't safe anymore."

She chuckle. "You mean you'd hate it if I stopped dragging Tara to your dad's arcade!" Sam's thoughts felt different than most and they were harder to block out, so sometimes things got in when she didn't mean for them to.

Sam gave an exasperated sigh. Sookie did that sometimes. She knew things about people and he had hoped she wouldn't pick up on his feelings. Obviously not. "There's that, but it really would be a tragedy if you got hurt because of those hicks."

Sookie sobered up and nodded. "I'll be careful. But, please try to keep them here as long as you can."

He sighed. "Fine. But, if you let yourself get kidnapped or something, I'll kill you myself."

She giggled and hugged him. "Thanks!" Then, she'd taken off for home, hoping she could come up with a good plan.

"The Rattrays!" Jason exclaimed. "Sookie, what the hell were you doing messing with the Rattrays?" Those two were known for dealing steroids to his teammates and it had left some pretty messed up.

"I had to warn the vampire they were planning to drain!"

Now the room was silent ad Sookie wished she hadn't said that. She just hated Jason yelling at her as if she was dumb enough to actually confront Mack and Denise on purpose. Apparently, that wasn't the right decision either.

Jason jumped up and started pacing. "What? You went to a vampire's place? Sook, have you gone mad? Do you know what could have happened to you?" Jason couldn't stop yelling, angry and scared as he was. If he'd known that was what she had planned last night, he would have found a way to chain her to her desk chair. But, she'd never done something so reckless before, so he'd have never guessed.

Sure, she was always getting into other people's business because of her gift and the fact that she wanted to help people. Of course, it didn't help that this was the only place on earth she could use her gift like that. It made him hate to have to tell her to back off when it was necessary. Nosing her way into other people's life got her into a few tight spots here and there.

Now, though, now he would put his foot down. No vampires!

"Jason!" Gran called, putting a stop to his rant. "Please, sit down. You're yelling won't help. I'd like to hear from your sister why she chose the course of actions that she did." When he was seated, she patted him on his shoulder to soothe him. Then, she turned to her left. "Now, Sookie, won't you tell me why you went alone? You didn't even call the police did you?"

She shook her head. "No. I would have, but the Rattrays were going to a club in Shreveport and Bud has no jurisdiction there unless the crime has already been committed and reported to him. Everyone knows the police in Shreveport will hand over any case because they have so many to deal with themselves."

Jason interrupted. "You went to a club in Shreveport?" his voice getting shrill.

"Jason," Gran reprimanded. "Go on, Sookie."

"Well, I couldn't call Bud, and the police in Shreveport don't care to lift a finger to help a vampire even if they did have the time. So, I had to go to _Fangtasia_ myself."

Jason thought he was going to have a heart attack. A vamp bar. His sister had gone to a vampire bar, not just a vampire's home. A bar where there could have been a hundred vampires. She probably hadn't even taken a cross or stake with her!

"By the time I came up with a plan, it was gettin' dark and I couldn't wait, Gran. So, I thought it'd be best if I went and you didn't know anything about it. And, I didn't want to involve anyone else because they would've tried to stop me. I just decided to ride the Norton."

Gran sighed. "But, sweetie, that bike isn't safe! No bikes are, but that one more so because it hasn't been checked in so long. You could have had a terrible accident."

"No!" Sookie shook her head. "Granddaddy taught me all about motorcycles, even how to rebuild an engine! I checked it myself. It was fine!"

"Ok, ok," she tried to calm her granddaughter. "So, what happened at this club, what was it, _Fangtasia_?"

Sookie nodded. "I obviously wasn't allowed in, but I got Pam, one of the employees there, to have the owner meet me outside…" She proceeded to tell them what had happened, leaving out a few details that would have wound Jason up. "I just hope they really did call Bud like I asked."

A few seconds and then Jason spoke. "I still can't believe you went alone."

"You wouldn't have let me help! You hate vampires."

"That's not true! I just think they're dangerous and you should be nowhere near them."

She huffed at her brother. "I bet you also believe that I should stay away from anyone who would look at me the wrong way or that I should be kept in a bubble!"

He sighed. "That's not what I said-"

"But, it's what you meant!" she interrupted.

As her grandchildren started arguing, Gran couldn't help but smile a little. Sookie had once been a timid little girl, scared of her gift and of interacting with people. Her parents reactions had started this with the way their thoughts revolved around how abnormal their daughter was and what it meant for their family. Their fears became hers and their shame became her fault.

At the age of two, when it first became clear Sookie was special, Corbett and Michelle Stackhouse had pulled her out of daycare. They'd shut her in the house, locked away from the rest of the world, safe from prying eyes and people who would judge her and their family if they ever found out. The stress had been tearing the family in half.

That was when Gran and her husband had stepped in and taken over. By her third birthday, Sookie and her brother were living in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Earl's heart went out to his granddaughter, knowing just how hard things were for her, because he shared her gift. So, when she came to his home, shy and hiding behind a glass wall she had built around herself, he had known. When some thoughtless question about her parents' whereabouts from another child made her remember their inability to handle her, he knew. And every time she heard the people of Bon Temps think about her strange behavior, he knew it hit her like a closed fist.

He was ashamed by his son and how he had reacted to the situation. Earl had never told him of his own gift, only ever confiding the truth to his wife the day before he decided to propose. But, they had raised Corbett to be open minded, understanding, and a son of God.

It was Earl who spent every day gently coaxing Sookie into talking again without the fear of revealing that she'd heard his thoughts. And when she had started to trust him, he had sheared his secret with her. It was a priceless gift to the little girl. She'd found someone who not only understood her, but more importantly, what it meant to be her. Often times Gran would walk out to the shed behind their house to find her husband working on some project or other, maybe fixing the lawn mower or building a new bookshelf. Sookie would be sitting on the spare workbench, her eyes glued to her Granddaddy's movements, the only sound in the room coming from an old radio in the corner. He would teach her about whatever was in his hands at the time, or tell her a story about his life, forever keeping up an internal conversation with her during their hours together in that shed.

And, finally, the little girl became just that, a little girl again. There was no worrying about anything because she was able to be herself without judgment. Suddenly, the hardest part of her life was choosing which flowers to pick in the small meadow by the creek. Smiling became natural instead of an afterthought. Her feet didn't drag; they skipped so high that Granddaddy feared she might just take off flying.

Sookie wasn't the only one who had been affected. Jason hadn't understood why their parents were acting as if Sookie was diseased. He thought it was cool. (It would only be later in life when he'd grown up and had secrets he wanted to keep from his sister that he'd make her promise not to use her gift on him.)

When he first learned that Sookie could hear people when they weren't talking, he had asked her what Mrs. Jacobs, their neighbor and sitter in the evenings, thought about when she shifted in her seat while they played cards. Sookie had whispered to him that she was thinking about her rash was trying to discretely find comfort. They had giggled over it for minutes and then tried to play tricks on the old woman, moving things when she wasn't looking, or pretending they had talked to her about something and she'd forgotten. By the time their parents got home, the two children had their neighbor thinking she'd suddenly lost her mind.

The next day, he had made a careless comment about their fun and everything changed. He'd watched helplessly as his parents went mad and his sister fell apart, all the while blaming himself. And at night, when he heard her crying, he'd slip in her room and hold her, whispering how sorry he was.

As time passed, he drew away from his sister, scared he'd say something else, slip up again, and hurt his sister even more. Sookie would have reassured him that she never blamed him, but their parents thoughts were almost always haywire, drowning out Jason's guilt until all she knew was her parents need for her to be away from everyone and that her brother was following their lead.

When they went to Bon Temps, Jason was so filled with guilt that he avoided his sister as much as possible. At seven, he couldn't see that his absence was causing Sookie pain. So, he'd watch from the window as she followed Granddaddy around like a little chick but disappeared the moment they entered the house.

All the while, Gran was watching him watch Sookie. She and Earl would talk at night while the children were asleep, sharing all they observed and discussing how to make things better for the ones they loved. So, as Earl helped Sookie, Gran gently worked on Jason, drawing him back out of the shadows and eventually showing him that he was not at fault. Instead, she planted a seed of thought that would grow into the wood the bridged the gap between the siblings. If he wanted to protect his sister, how would he be able to do that if he wouldn't stay in the same room as her?

After that, Jason started to talk to Sookie about small things like the weather and what she was going to do that day. Sookie, bless her, had seen right through to his intentions and launched into an enthusiastic conversation about watercolors and finger paints. She'd dragged her brother by the shirtsleeve and sat him down beside her, pulling out extra paper and sharing her craft project with him.

Now, years later, no one would have guessed the hurt they had felt as children. Sookie had grown into a kind, confident, and unstoppable young woman. And Jason was caring and protective of those close to him.

"Alright!" Gran stopped their arguing with one word. "It doesn't matter now anyway. What's done is done; there's no changing it. Let's just be thankful that Sookie is safe."

"What? You can't just let her off the hook. She didn't think and could've been seriously hurt!"

Before Sookie could protest and start the argument back up, Gran raised her hands. "Please, let me handle this Jason. Sookie, you will be leaving us tomorrow, so I will not ground you. But, you must remember you can't just take off like that." Sookie opened her mouth, but again was cut off. "You must remember that we care for you and it would pain us greatly if you were hurt. We want to help you and keep you from harm because we love you."

Her granddaughter deflated, suddenly finding it hard to be at odds with her family. "Alright, Gran. I won't go off without at least telling you first."

"Good!" She clapped her hands together. "Now, enough of this serious talk. Let's enjoy a nice breakfast together before Jason has to go to work."

Said teen grumbled, but didn't voice his opinion. Sookie could tell he would not let this go so easily and she didn't need to read his thoughts to know he would be speaking with her later.

-the influence of a fae-

Jason was still at work and Gran was outside when the phone rang at two fifty. Sookie raced down the steps from her room and grabbed the phone, just beating the machine.

"Hello, Stackhouse residence. This is Sookie," she answered.

"Sook!" Tara's voice called over the phone line. "When are you going to get your butt over here, girl? Lala's been checking the clock so much, it's giving me a headache."

Sookie laughed at her friend's theatrics. "I'll be over soon. Try to keep your cousin calm until I get there." After hanging up, she slipped on her sneakers and ran out back.

Gran was in the garden that grew next to the old grey shed. At 72, Adele may not have gotten around like she'd used to, but she could still be found every other day on her hands and knees, tending to the fruit and vegetable garden she and Earl had started years ago.

"Gran, I'm going to head over to the Reynolds' house to spend time with Tara and Lafayette 'for I have to go back."

Looking up from the carrots she was tending to, Gran studied her. "Are you all packed and ready to leave tomorrow? The bus leaves early and won't wait for you."

Sookie sighed. "I'm not finished yet, but I only have to pack some books and CDs. I'll be done before I go to bed tonight. Please let me go! There won't be time to see them in the morning."

A smile formed on the old woman's face. "I am so glad you found such good friends, sweetheart."

"So, I can go?" she asked hopefully.

Gran nodded. "Yes. Give my best to them and remind them that the door is always open for family."

She gave her grandmother a hug. "Thank you so much." Gran patted her hand and sent her on her way.

The bike ride (powered by her legs and sweat instead of a motor and gas) was quick and soon Sookie was in front of a red, one-story home. It sat on a hill surrounded by trees. The dirt road ran almost a full mile from the main road to the front door, giving the Reynolds total privacy since they had no neighbors, and they liked it that way.

Ms. Reynolds, Ruby Jean, was rarely home. She spent most of her time clinging to the nearest male body with deep pockets. She would stay in a relationship as long as it benefitted her financially and left the moment that changed, only to target her next meal-ticket.

Lafayette, her only son, was the one who lived in and maintained the house. He worked at a local restaurant as a cook. With the money he made and the occasional gift from Ruby Jean, he was just able to take care of the bills and other needs that arose. But, living in a backwoods, redneck town was hard for any gay person. So, between his mother's actions and the opinions of the Bon Temps residents, the privacy was very important.

"Hey, Sook," seventeen year old Lafayette called from the open screen door. "You ready to partae?"

Laughing, she ran up to him and threw her arms around him. "Of course!"

"Well, hooker," he laughed back, "your reaction to me is humbling and I hate to disappoint you, but I bat for the other team, if ya hadn't noticed."

Sookie smacked him lightly and entered the house. It was just that easy with the two cousins, her best friends. They laughed and played jokes and it was as if the air around them was light and free. It wasn't because life had been easy for them. Between Ruby Jean and Lettie Mae Thornton, Tara's mother, who was drunk all the time, their life had been very hard. No, the atmosphere was from their drive to beat everything that tried to hold them back, from their will to live. And Sookie thrived off of it.

The three spent hours doing makeovers, painting nails, and watching movies. They spent nights like this often, just hanging out and being together. It was a tradition they had started years before and did every time Sookie had to leave, promising to send her off with as much positive spirit as possible.

Neither Tara nor Lala talked about her ability, but both knew that Sookie was special. They didn't know how but the girl just knew things, secrets, as if someone was whispering them in her ear. In fact, the first time they had met her, Sookie had brought a basket overflowing with muffins, somehow knowing that they were hiding out from Lettie Mae and didn't have any food. Ruby Jean had been gone for five days straight and the Reynolds' household was bare of anything edible.

At the age of eight, Sookie had waltzed in with a presence that seemed to fill the room. She'd worn a sunny smile, handing them the basket and introducing herself. Without missing a step, she'd turned to the stove as she pulled ingredients out to make macaroni and cheese with cut up hot dogs. Since it was one her favorite foods, she'd figured they would like it as well.

At first the cousins were wary of the cheerful white girl who's just barged in, but there was no stopping her. She'd barely stopped talking long enough to let them say hi, let alone tell her to leave. So, as she cooked, they'd sat and watched her move around the kitchen, all the while munching on the soft and warm chocolate chip muffins.

Once the food was done and she'd served them each a bowl of her cheese and dog casserole, Sookie packed up her things and headed for the door. "Now, there are enough leftovers for lunch tomorrow as long as you refrigerate them. If Ruby Jean isn't back or if you just want a place to spend some time, Gran has dinner on the table by 5 o'clock. The door is always open for ya!" With a giant grin, she'd waved good-bye and left. Both children had shown up at 4:30 the next afternoon, ready to help set the table.

And after that, Sookie had just kept showing up that summer. When Tara was stressed about her mother and needed to think, Sookie was there suggesting a quiet walk down to the river near Gran's house. Lafayette had trouble with schoolwork the past year and was working over the summer to get better because he wanted to go to college. So, when he was having a particular problem with long division and needed a break, Sookie would bring him a glass of iced tea and a snack.

Then, August was almost over and Sookie was due to leave in a week.

"Why do you have to go?" Lala had asked. "Jason goes to school here." Stackhouse was in the grade above him and already making a name for himself in sports.

Sookie sighed. She didn't want to have to tell them the story of her parents. When Granddaddy had died the summer before kindergarten, her parents had shown up in Bon Temps, ready to take their children home. Two young kids were too much for one old woman to take care of by herself. Neither of the kids wanted to go and Jason had protested loudly. He'd spent his whole second grade here and liked it. He'd made great friends and his grades were better than ever.

Corbett had conceded that Bon Temps was a better place for Jason, but Michelle had insisted that Sookie be with her parents. Gran had tried to talk them into letting her stay as well, but on this, they wouldn't budge. In the year they'd had to themselves, they'd worried the most about Sookie and what would happen if she was found out and they weren't there to protect her. No, she needed to be with her parents.

Jason had gone to her that night, saying he'd come home with her. He had been taking his role as big brother seriously, especially now that Earl wasn't here anymore. Sookie had smiled and ordered him to stay in Bon Temps. During school breaks, she'd have a better chance of convincing their parents to let her come back to visit if he was here as well as Gran.

That's how she spent her years, going to a school where she didn't make friends to ease her parents' fears, and begging her mother to drive her to Bon Temps on every big break. She called Gran and Jason almost every weekend even though she wished she could every day. But, the phone bill couldn't take that many long distance calls.

When she'd turned seven, things had gotten easier. Since the risk of having a sitter take care of her was too great, Michelle had stayed home with Sookie while Corbett worked long hours at the office. But, when she was deemed old enough to look after herself for a few hours, her mother went back to her arts and crafts store instead of running it from home. Instead of getting off the bus to be bombarded by her mother's suffocating presence, she was greeted by blissful silence.

Still, her parents' home was stifling and she hated to have to give up the openness of Gran's home.

"My parents worry about me a lot. They find it comforting for me to go to school where they live instead of here," she answered Lala.

It didn't really satisfy his curiosity, but he and Tara knew what it meant to have a sore spot. So, the topic was dropped. Whatever it was, it was bad enough to hurt their friend and they'd never seen that sad expression on her face. So, they did their best to cheer her up by having a sleepover at Gran's.

It had worked, just as it was now, almost seven years later.

"Hey, Sook, what would you say if I asked to dye your hair?" Lafayette had been wishing to add a few red or purple streaks in her rich, honey blonde hair.

Tara scoffed. "You'd have to get through me first, you crazy bitch. Her hair is great and doesn't need your help." Lala rolled his eyes and went back to putting peach nail polish on his friend.

"Although," she continued, walking around to stand behind where Sookie sat on the floor with her hands on the coffee table. "It could do with a few more curls instead of the natural wave it has now."

"Um," Sookie resisted the urge to reach back and touch her hair. It would mess up the progress Lafayette had done to her fingers and she didn't want to get him worked up over it. "I don't know. I think it's nice the way it is now."

"No, Tara's right," he confirmed without even looking up from her hands. "Your hair would frame your face so much better with a bit mote curl. You'd just need to trim and layer it. That way you wouldn't need to use an iron on it all the time."

Tara came back in front of her and studied her face. "You're a genius, cuz'. It'd be perfect if it was layered!"

Sookie looked back and forth between them as they discussed the best length. They'd done this before, practically attacking her with a scissors and flat iron. She wasn't keen on going through the experience again, but these two wouldn't give up the opportunity to play with her golden locks. If she played it right, though, she just might be able to postpone it.

"You guys, wouldn't it be better to do that when I get back for the summer and you can admire your work and people's reactions?"

That snuffed the mood faster than she'd thought possible.

"Yeah, I guess," Tara agreed dejectedly. She sat down beside her cousin and faced Sookie across the table. "When will you be back this summer?"

"If mom and dad let me, I'll be back the weekend after school lets out."

A few minutes silence and then Lafayette screwed the lid back on the polish. "Finished!" he declared. "Now, don't those nails look like they could rip out any lucky man's heart?"

-the influence of a fae-

The sun was just setting as Sookie peddled down the lane home. Her nails were beautifully painted with purple flowers on her ring fingers and her skin was the softest it's been in months. Lala had put makeup on her with the skill of an artist, not covering her beauty, but added the smallest colors to enhance it. Her eyes were rimmed with eyeliner and a golden dust of shadow that complimented the gold flecks in her rich green eyes and her lips were just a shade darker than normal. If she ever did get a boyfriend, she knew she would be at Lafayette's front door, begging him to do her face up before every date.

After parking her bike next to the house, she went up the front porch steps, only to be intercepted by Jason.

"We need to talk, Sook." He motioned to the top step and they sat down together. He took a deep breath and started to talk. "Look, I know you were doing what you felt was right and that's one of your best qualities."

She smiled, but Jason wasn't done yet. "It's also one of the most annoying and dangerous. Sometimes, it's better to leave things be." Before she could protest, he stopped her. "Just answer me somethin'. Vampires are really strong and very fast, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"And the particular place the Rattrays were goin' had multiple vampires?"

"Yeah, but Jason-"

"No, Sook. I need you to listen. The odds are that those vampires would've been fine without your help. Heck, if it's so important to help them, you coulda just called the place. But instead, you went into a dangerous situation alone. And the fact that you will sit here and deny it was dangerous worries me even more."

Sookie was quiet as her brother spoke. Maybe she hadn't handled the situation the best. But, she'd wanted to help so bad, to put her powers to good use that she may have over done it.

"Ok. I understand what you're saying and I'll be more careful from now on, but I'm not gonna stop helping people, even if it means that I have to go to a dangerous place."

He sighed and shook his head. "Sook-"

"No. I listened to you. Now I need you to listen to me. This ability I have is…" She paused, trying to find the right words. "It's stressful and annoyin' and hard to control. It's affected our lives so drastically and permanently damaged out family. But, it also means I know people who are suffering and help them. I can hear those who would do harm and change it. I have to outweigh all the bad this has caused us with as much good as possible. And if I stop helping people," She sighed, fighting back tears that where building in her eyes. "Jason, I can't stop doing the only good thing I've done in my life. I need to keep going, when it's safe and when it's dangerous."

A tear fell, weaving a trail down her face like a river carving its path down a hillside. That tear stopped Jason from fighting her. Growing up, he'd always thought that Sookie following him around and getting into people's business was a direct result of being able to use her gift instead of constantly fighting it. He'd thought she'd enjoyed being nosy, just like any other little sister in the world. It never occurred to him just how much she needed to help people or that she was keeping a mental tally score or the good and evil of her gift.

"Ok, Sook. While I don't think you should feel so responsible for things that have happened, I can tell this is really important to ya. I'm not gonna try to stop ya, but you're not allowed to go anywhere dangerous alone. You got it?"

She sniffed back her tears and felt like rolling her eyes. Geez, it seems like all day Gran and Jason had been fussing over her. She knew it was because they cared, but it got old after a while.

"Ok. I got it."

Jason hugged his sister. "Alright, then. Let's go inside. Gran has some fruit prepared. We already ate and figured you had something at Lafayette's, but she's a tad worried all you three ate was candy."

Huffing, she stood with her brother. "Hey! We had some popcorn!"

He laughed. "Oh, yes! The nutrients of the snack that is popcorn. Gran will be so proud!"

Sookie gave him a playful punch to the shoulder before disappearing into the house. "Hey, Gran! I'm back!"

-the influence of a fae-

The moment his eyes opened, Eric was on the move. He didn't want to waste any time.

"Ginger, did you have the drainers taken to Mr. Dearborne as I asked?"

The bony blonde paused in the process of cleaning the counter and preparing for opening. "Of course! And I looked up that girl you asked about." She hurried to take the paper with the girl's address and info on her grandmother, Adele Stackhouse, out of her purse that was stored under the bar. She shook a bit as she handed her boss what he wanted. The reason was lost on her, but even though she worked for them, vampires made her nervous.

Eric hummed. "Thank you, Ginger." He gazed into her eyes, pushing into her mind. "Forget everything you learned about Sookie Stackhouse."

His employee's gaze slowly came back into focus and, after looking around to see the rag, she went back to wiping down the counter.

Pam whispered from behind him. "That one has already been glamoured almost to the brink of insanity." She followed her maker as he walked to his office so they could talk in private. "It's to the point that I'd almost think it's a rule to mess with her mind at least once a night. Was that really necessary just now?"

"Yes. There was something off about that girl last night."

She snorted. "What tipped you off? The fact that she showed up underage to a vampire bar? Or could it be that she, a human, actually tried to help us and didn't ask for anything in return?"

"She knew my last name."

"Oh, wonderful!" Pam's drawl was exaggerated. "It used to be that it was too personal for a lady to call a man by their given name. But now, last names are the ones to avoid!"

Blue eyes narrowed, a warming to his childe. "I never mentioned my last name, and yet she knew it."

Now, that had Pam's full attention. "What are you thinking? That she works for a business rival or another vampire who wants your position of power for themselves?"

There were a number of vamps from the past who'd thought they could just waltz into Area 5 and take it for themselves. Mostly, they were taken care of easily, but there were a few who had come close to hurting her maker, and Pam took every threat seriously.

Eric shook his head and took his seat behind his desk. "It took me a while to even realize it, but I stayed up thinking about it to the point that I got the bleeds. I don't believe it's either. A rival wouldn't have set up last night's charade. Sending in the drainers, I have no doubt. But, the girl? No. A rival would want me dead, not saved."

Pam cocked her hip and sat sideways on the desk. "You think she's been sent to gain our trust. To what end?"

"What else?" He sent back in his chair and looked seriously at his prodigy and business partner. "Information."

Her head snapped back at her surprise. "Shit. You think the American Vampire League is spying on us?"

"It's the only thing I could think that fits the situation." Eric nodded and folded his hands. " Nan's been itching to find a vampire who's overstepping boundaries so that she can make an example of them. She wants to show humans that vampires are being kept in check."

"Plus, her right hand man now is that stuck-up idiot, Compton. He's had it out for you ever since you reported him for staking Longshadow and kicked him out of your area." This was not good. "What are you plannin' on doing?"

He stood and held up the paper Ginger had given him. "I'm going to find out the truth."

-the influence of a fae-

After a bowl of Gran's banana, pineapple, and orange fruit salad, Sookie went upstairs to finish packing. Because of all the time she spent alone there, most of her book collection was at her parents' house, but a few of her favorites were kept at Gran's. Every few trips to Bon Temps, she would change the books to keep the selection fresh. She was trying to decide which to pick between _"To Kill a Mockingbird"_, _"Utopia"_, and _"The Hunger Games"_ when the doorbell rang.

It couldn't be for Jason. All his friends would be at a party by now since it was Saturday night. The only reason he had stayed home tonight and already lay in bed was because he was coming with tomorrow morning to the bus station. And she'd already said goodbye to Lala and Tara.

Could it be for Gran? Sookie ran down the stairs as Gran opened the door.

"Good evening, Mrs. Stackhouse," his deep accented voice floated into the room. "My name is Eric Northman and I've come to see Sookie."

"Oh, my." Adele resisted the urge to pat her hair. "Good evening to you, Mr. Northman. Sookie's packing right now. I'll just call her for you. You would like to wait inside?"

"No!" Sookie cried from the stairs. Both Gran and Eric turned to look at her, one in amusement and one in horror of her manners.

"Um," she descended the few steps left and came to her grandmother's side. "I mean that, well, Mr. Northman is very busy and can't stay long. H-he has to get back home quickly before his child misses him. We'll just discuss that situation outside."

Before Gran could question her granddaughter's odd behavior, Sookie was past her.

Once outside, Sookie closed the door and grabbed Eric's arm, pulling him down the porch steps, away from the windows where Gran might overhear something that would upset her.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. If Jason knew the owner of _Fangtasia_ was here asking for her, he'd blow a blood vessel. "How did you find my house? Did you follow me last night? You'd better not be stalking me-"

Eric clapped a hand over her mouth. "Thank you. Your incessant babbling was getting on my nerves."

She narrowed her eyes, but kept from trying to bite his hand like she did whenever Jason did the same to her. Somehow, she didn't think Eric would react the same way.

"Now, if you'll let me ask, how do you know my last name?"

Sookie tried to keep her eyes from widening. She'd hoped he hadn't noticed her slip up the night before. When he hadn't caught on and stopped her then and there, she'd assumed she'd gotten away free and clear.

With his hand gone now, she looked up at him and tried not to stutter. "What do you mean? Of course I know your last name. You just introduced yourself as Eric Northman to my Gran. I'd have to be both dead and dumb not to know."

Eric clicked his tongue and walked away from her to study her home. He couldn't smell any other vampire trail, so no lead there. Could she be working for another human?

"Ms. Stackhouse, please don't insult me. As a vampire, I have perfect recall." He turned back to her. "You can either tell me how you found out my name, or I can ask your Gran." She didn't need to know that her grandmother's question wasn't enough for a proper invite.

Sookie fidgeted. She'd never told anyone outside family about her gift and she didn't want to start now, especially to a vampire like Eric Northman. But, if it meant that he'd leave, would it be so bad?

Yes! It would be terrible if it got out to the public about her powers. Who knew how her parents would react to their worst fears come true. And, people would treat her even worse than they did now.

Eric watched as the teen shifted back and forth, biting her lip. Did she want to tell him but couldn't? Was she being forced to spy on him? Maybe a forceful approach was the wrong way to go.

"If you're worried about whoever told you about me, there is no need. I will deal with that person before the sun rises."

She gasped. "What? No one told me anything and there is no one with which for you to deal!" Jeez, was that this guy's answer to everything?

Taken aback, he asked again. "Then how did you know?" As she started on her lip again, he took a step forward. "Tell me, Sookie. How?"

"I don't trust you with that information," she finally replied.

His lips tightened in anger. "Well, that's too bad, because now you know more than you should and won't tell me how that is. You, and you're family by extension, have become a potential threat and I have no further use for you." He speed forward and grabbed her by the throat, putting just enough pressure on it that she had trouble breathing, but it wouldn't bruise. "Do you see my problem?" he hissed, his fangs appearing.

She nodded. Yes and now his problem became a threat to her life and that of her family instead of a threat to her secret. There was no other choice but to tell him.

His hand left her neck and she took a deep breath before releasing it in a rush. "I'm telepathic."

Eric raised an eyebrow. He'd met a witch before who'd used the dark arts to read others minds and occasionally control it, but his abilities had no effect on vampires. Something to do with the brain being dead so the brain waves couldn't be manipulated the way any live creature's waves could. Plus, this girl didn't seem the type to deal in such things.

"Really? Then, what am I thinking now?" he challenged.

She scoffed. "It doesn't work like that."

"Ah! But you just said you were telepathic. Isn't that what telepaths do, read thoughts?"

Goodness, he was frustrating. "Yes, but I can't hear a vampire's thoughts."

Now he was really confused and his patience was about to snap. "Please, do explain, Ms. Stackhouse. Now."

"Give me a minute. I've never had to explain it to someone before." How to start? She began to pace as she collected her thoughts. "I've been hearing peoples' thoughts for as long as I can remember. Some people think in a constant string of chatter while others are a mixture of words and images. Sometimes, there is a color stain around a mind that changes with a person's mood. Idiots like the Rattrays are no more than basic wants and drives with few words and even those are simple one word sentences.

"But, vampires," she paused, looking at him. "You and Pam are the first vampires I've ever met. At first, I thought maybe something was wrong when all I got from Pam was open air. It was like I knew her mind was there, but it was silent. I've never experienced that before." A soft smile played on her lips as she thought back. The quiet had been pure bliss.

"Then how did you know my name?" Eric interrupted her thoughts. He felt like a broken record. Would she just tell him already?

"I'm getting to that." Sookie resumed her pacing. "I don't know how to put it into words. I can't hear your thoughts, but I know things about you. It's not said in words or shown with color stains. It's just a truth that becomes part of my brain. I just know it. Pam loves fashion and would pick a designer pair of pumps over anything except good blood, even over sleeping with a woman. She thinks you look best with bleached hair and hated to cut it last month, though why she had to cut it, I have no clue."

"There was blood in it," he explained absentmindedly. She scrunched her face, afraid of the story behind that, but luckily, he didn't go into that. Instead, he was thinking about what she'd told him. How could she know that but not why? "What do you know about me, other than my name?"

She studied him as she answered, wondering how far he'd let her delve. "You're a Viking prince. It's hard for someone to gain your trust, but you take the bonds you make with others seriously and would do anything for your family." His jaw clenched and there it was. She'd known he had a sore spot and she's hit it. It was time to back off.

"Also, you love to play with the humans who come into your club. A woman asked to take your picture and you said yes, but you had her phone crushed afterwards."

The tension eased and Eric leaned back against the wood porch as he watched the human. A real telepath. He'd never heard of one who didn't feed that power through some sort of magic or power source. This was perfect! His mind was already working on the best way to use this as an advantage.

The truth was out and Sookie didn't know what would happen now. With her head lowered as if in prayer, she asked in a whisper, "Are you going to tell anyone?"

Nervous. Her whole body screamed tense and afraid. Funny considering she had barely flinched when he'd threatened her last night.

"No," he answered and her head shot up to see if he was telling the truth. "I won't tell anyone but those whom I'd trust with my life. And, since you have shared something about yourself, so shall I." Eric stepped away from the porch and gestures around. "I am the Sheriff of Louisiana Area 5."

Sookie's forehead furrowed. "You expect me to believe you're a cop after last night? Besides, that isn't possible until after the VRA passes."

He smiled at her innocence. "No, I'm not a police officer. You see, vampires have their own hierarchy. Each state is divided into a number of areas and each area has a Sheriff."

"So, you're like a mayor or something?" she pondered.

"Not really. A sheriff is the authority. We are responsible for the vampire population in our area and make sure our laws are upheld."

"You have laws? Like what?" she asked, almost jumping with her curiosity.

He frowned. "I'm not sure it'd be to my advantage to tell you. Besides, the less humans know, the better. Any knowledge could possibly give you the upper hand and we'd rather our weaknesses not be common knowledge."

Sookie sighed, unable to argue that point. "Ok. Then why are you telling me anything if humans aren't supposed to know?"

"Because, I'd like for you to come work for me."

Her mouth dropped. "Crazy vampire said what?"

"I'd pay you, of course. Your ability would be very useful. I could be able to hire new employees without fearing that they were trying to come after me. Many would like to take the spot of Sheriff from me. Also, if some conflict arose in my area, you could help me figure out facts that other may not be willing to share…"

As he went on, Sookie couldn't' believe her ears. Work for a vampire! While she had no real problem with it, she knew her family would. Plus, there was another detail that would make such a thing unlikely.

"Eric," she cut him off. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

No one had refused him in almost three hundred years. It was not a fun experience in his opinion. "And why not?"

"I'm leaving to go home tomorrow."

"Leaving?" But, he'd thought this was her home. It was the address Ginger had given him. Plus, her scent was all over the place and there was a sense of her belonging here.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I'll be heading to Texas on a bus. I was only visiting my Gran and Jason for the week of spring break. I have to go back to high school on Monday."

"I see." Okay, so she didn't actually live here. But, maybe… "Will you be visiting your Gran again soon?"

"Actually, I come to Gran's whenever I have a break from school. I'll be back in a few months for summer break." The smile that spread across his face was slightly unnerving because she knew it meant he had found an in and would make sure he got his way. "But, she'd never let me work for you."

"What, she doesn't like vampires?" he asked.

Sookie shook her head. "That's not it. She's a supporter of the VRA, but she won't like me working for someone she doesn't even know. Besides, I'm only fifteen. Plus, Jason would sooner try to kill you than let you anywhere near me. Unlike Gran, he doesn't like vampires and thinks you'd sooner drain me yourself than lift a finger to help me, which, by the way, is something I don't even know for myself. You were just about to choke me and you threatened my family. Furthermore, I'm not sure I want to be gettin' between vampires and their business. I am only human, ya know."

He waved his hand as if what she'd just said was trivial. "As my employee, you'd be under my protection, which is something I don't take lightly. And you can't blame me for earlier. I thought you were a threat not only to me, but to my childe. I can meet your Gran and answer any questions she has. As for Jason, well, who exactly is Jason? Your boyfriend?"

"What? No, he's my brother."

"Ah!" Eric nodded. "Now I see why he'd be so protective. Leave him to me. Once we talk, I'm sure he'll come around."

"No!" she said firmly. "You are not allowed to do that mind-control thingy you tried last night on any of my family or friends to make them do something for you or forget something. Not ever! If I would work for you, they'd be safe from any and all vampires." At his triumphant and smug look, she back-peddled. "Not that I'm going to work for you! My family would worry too much. Jason nearly had a stroke when he found out I went to _Fangtasia_ last night and he's only eighteen."

But, Eric was no longer listening. He strolled down the driveway, whistling to himself. Sookie got the impression that by that time tomorrow night, Gran and Jason would be entertaining their first vampire guest. And if it went the way Eric wanted, she'd be employed by summer break.

Fan-freakin'-tastic!

-the influence of a fae-

It was just before six a.m. when the Stackhouses' car pulled into the bus station. Sookie had slept most of the 45 minute drive, exhausted from staying up last night to talk to Gran about a certain vampire.

Surprisingly, Gran had not been upset and really wanted to meet and talk to Eric. Sookie figured part of it had something to do with his blue eyes, but she'd caught part of her Gran's thoughts. She was wondering if he could really protect Sookie. And her mind's presence had been slightly orange, showing worry for her granddaughter. In her opinion, it had only been a matter of time before someone found out the truth. If a vampire was there to protect her granddaughter when it happened, then she'd rest a bit easier.

Gran had even promised to make Jason be on his best behavior when Eric arrived. Sookie was almost glad she wouldn't be in Bon Temps tonight when that happened. The tension that would be created would probably be felt by half the state!

Once the car was parked, Gran reached back to wake Jason while Sookie got her bags out of the trunk. Together, the three walked towards the bus. She dropped her bags off at the proper spot where the driver was waiting to put everyone's luggage in the storage compartment.

It was time to say goodbye. Jason stepped forward first and wrapped his arms around her. "Travel safely, sis."

"I think that's the driver's responsibility," she teased lightly with a smile.

He made a face at her before pulling away to be replaced by Gran.

"Call the first chance you have," she ordered as she squeezed Sookie.

"Promise."

One final wave and she ran to board the bus before they saw her tears. After finding a seat, she wiped her eyes and looked for her family. They waved as the bus pulled out of the parking lot. As they gained speed, Sookie watched the trees of Louisiana flash by. Soon, they'd be gone and she'd be back in Texas, back to her home in Dallas.

To be continued….

Oh come on! Tell me you didn't see that coming the minute I mentioned Texas. I thought it was a good hint!

Anyway, geez the weez! I started typing this three weeks ago and finally finished it after many trips to my dad's. I am glad to say I have my computer back now (the author note at eh beginning is the same one I typed before, no editing as the weeks went by). I know I took forever, but I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it!

Let's see… anything to add since that first authors note. Tabby-Kate, thanks for the review and I added that short scene with Pam just for you! Hope she was a bit more snarky this time, because it may be a while before she reenters this story. Sorry!

The motorcycle I've mentioned is a silver 1959 Norton Dominator 99. I couldn't decide between the Dominator and Triumph, so I picked it out of a hat! :)

Also, people had been saying they can't find the stories I suggested to read, so here are the URLs:

Truly Dead- .net/s/7032704/1/

God of the Living Dead- .net/s/6817249/1/God_of_the_Living_Dead_in_Dallas

(there's also a sequel to this, so check out the author's page)

Ok… I can't think of anything else, so if I missed something to explain or anything, please let me know! Thanks for taking the time to read this and I've already started hand writing the third chapter while my computer was gone. It's not even half finished, but I'm working on it so I'll post as soon as possible.

Until the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**The Influence of a Fae**

By: snowflakes849

**Summary:** What if Sookie met Eric when she was younger and how would this effect Godric's life?

**AN:** Yes, I know. I'm SORRY! It took me forever. I think I wrote this chapter five different ways until I was ok with how the characters are portrayed.

That is something I have to warn you all about. I am much more of an idea person, not so much a writer. I have a notebook filled with plotlines for stories, or a scene that embodied a new twist on books I've read, or just a sentence or two that struck me and could be turned into a story.

See, idea person. I am terrible at actually going through each scene and shaping it into a story that is entertaining and has a good flow. So, I apologize profusely to those of you that I may have deceived by bringing forth a new twist on the Sookie and Godric storyline of True Blood.

But, I can make you a promise. Unlike every other story that popped into my head and demanded to be shared, as long as people like it and want it to continue, I will not stop writing it. It may take a while, but I will continue to post.

Also, to help sooth my ADHD muse, I may start adding the previously mentioned ideas at the end of chapters so that at least they are getting out there instead of bugging me from their place in my notebook. If anyone likes one of the ideas and wants to take it on, feel free. All I ask is that you let me know through a review or PM because I would LOVE to read it!

Thank you to everyone who alerted this story and an extra special shout out to those who reviewed! Seriously, you telling me that you like it is the only reason I spent seven hours going through bands to pick out the perfect combo of sugar and sass for Sookie (you'll understand once you read the chapter) and why I spent the last week researching… well, I can't even hint at that yet. But, really, I would have left it at chapter one (ha! And not even brought in Godric :( ) if it wasn't for you guys. Your words make the headaches and frustration worth it!

Also, thank you to those who have pointed out my mistakes! I don't have a beta and I don't have anyone in my family to look over my work, so such things are often overlooked. Please let me know if I missed anything else and I will try to go back and fix them. (And The Happiest, I like her green eyes too! Don't know what happened in chapter two- my mind must have been elsewhere- but it is now fixed. Thanks!)

Now, I know in the TV show that Sookie can't sing (not sure about the books), but since it was one of Eric's daydreams, I don't feel too bad about changing that.

Plus….. Godric will finally enter the story! Yay! I know some of you have been waiting for him for a while. Sorry, but I felt it was better to establish more of the background first.

**Warning**, there will be the topic of religion in here. I know that makes some people very uncomfortable, so if that is you, please don't feel like you need to read this. (Although, if this is you, I have to ask how on earth you were able to watch the show?) I write because it's a way to get things out of my head and I have no motivation to try and force religion on anyone. If you don't want to read it, I will not in any way take it personally. That being said, if you do wish to keep reading, I'd ask you to do so with an open mind.

So, here we go…

**Chapter 3: The Life and Unlife of Dallas**

The bus pulled into the parking lot of the station and the engine was turned off. Sookie's eyes looked over the city lit by the 2 o'clock sun. Dallas. It felt funny to call the city home when she'd lived there for 13 years, not including school vacations, of her life and had rarely gone anywhere outside the bus stop and her mother's craft store. Her father worked at a law firm in the center of the city, but she had never even seen it, let alone stepped inside the building.

The bus driver stood, her frizzy red curls making her easy to spot over the other passengers. "Alright, folks. Everyone departing here in Dallas, come on out and we'll get your luggage from the storage compartments."

As she stepped down, Sookie spotted her parents. Corbett was dressed in one of his many black suits and his dark hair was slicked back. He'd probably taken a late lunch break so that he could be here to pick her up. It would have made Sookie feel good, if she didn't already know he only worked weekends during the school year so he could get out of the house and away from her.

Michelle came forward in her light pink sundress with little white flowers covering the skirt. Her hug was hesitant and a bit stiff. "Welcome home, Sookie."

"Thanks, mom." She wanted to return the hug with a vice grip, tell her mom that she didn't have to be so gentle, but it wasn't that Michelle thought she was fragile. Prolonged body contact was something that scared her parents because it meant a more direct line for Sookie to be able to read their thoughts.

"Hey, kid." Corbett ruffled her hair before taking a step back.

"Hi, Dad." It was like that. She called them mom and dad while she was always "kid" or just Sookie. The few times Jason had visited, he was "son."

A beat and then Corbett offered, "Why don't I go get your things?" He started towards the throng of people all trying to find their bags before she answered.

"Ok." It came out a whisper as she watched him go.

Mother and daughter waited, feet planted and feeling off center. It was like this whenever she came back from Bon Temps and would take a day of two for the three to get used to one another again. Sookie had to reign in her outgoing attitude and put every wall she could back up around her mind. Her parents were back on guard too, making sure no one took a special interest in their child or got too close. The only reason they let Sookie leave during school breaks was because of this. They needed a vacation from the stress of hiding their secret. If it didn't take such an emotional toll on them, they would rather have kept her in Dallas more, but they learned to trust that Gran would take care of her.

"You look good," her mother offered. The silence had stretched on too long and was making her more uneasy.

"Thanks. I sunbathed twice this week. I thought my tan could use some work."

Michelle nodded and the silence was back.

A minute later, Corbett was walking back, a black suitcase in one hand and a navy blue duffle in the other. "Is this everything?" She nodded and he motioned to the car. "Then, let's get going."

"So, how was your week?" Michelle asked as they pulled out of the parking lot. Sookie told them about how Jason would come home after work, bursting with pride at whatever he'd been able to make that day and that Gran's garden was producing more food than they could eat, so Gran had taken the extra to the church for the soup kitchen held every Saturday for the needy.

She never mentioned Tara or Lafayette because that information wouldn't be received well. And, if they couldn't take her having friends, they definitely wouldn't want to know about Eric finding out the truth. So, her topics were mainly limited to the card games the siblings had played during the evenings or the book she'd read while Gran was at her knitting club.

"Did you go with your Gran to church last Sunday?" Corbett asked. It was one of the few times her parents wanted her to be in public. Church was good and maybe, if they prayed enough, one day God would take pity on them and Sookie would be normal.

While she would normally wrinkle her nose at going to a church filled with no sense, backwards racists, Gran's church was not like the one her parents made her attend in Dallas. No, Gran's church was full of elderly folk, which made it a bit hard to have friends, but the members were much more understanding and loving and Godly than any of the young adults that held Bible Study with her parents. Sookie never thought that age made a difference regarding a person's amount of kindness and mental openness, but it seemed to be the trend in context of her religious experience.

"Yes. The sermon was given on Jesus' sacrifice and love for us; how even though we are all sinners, he died so that we wouldn't have to pay the price for those sins. There was even a special ham luncheon afterwards in celebration of Easter." Sookie smiled. Pastor Miller was a wonderful and sweet old man and she always learned a lot from his sermons. And the congregation was so welcoming, they made you feel like family, each beckoning for you to sit and talk with them.

"That's nice," Michelle replied absently. They'd pulled into the driveway and were getting out of the car. Corbett once again took her bags and the two adults walked inside.

Sookie stood by the car for a moment. Her home in Dallas was so different from the one in Bon Temps. Her parents made much more money than Gran had in her saving account and it showed. Seventeen Maple Drive stood in the middle of a high-end development that rested just outside the city. Each house had a border of two or three acres around their house so that while you had a row of neighbors, there was enough property to give you your own space. Some kept their yard open so that there was room to set up tents and volleyball nets for weekend parties. Others decorated their lawn tastefully with shrubs and flowers. Many were bordered by the traditional white-picket fence.

The Stackhouses property had trees. Oh, they were spaced out and there were bushes so that it looked nice and clean, but the trees were there as a shield. They didn't have weekend parties with a grill and a baseball game. They made sure it wasn't possible for a nosy neighbor to be able to look in a window. So, while Gran's house was surrounded by forest trees, it never felt as secluded and alone as her parents place did in a sea of homes.

And, to assuage her parents' insecurities, that was the life she led in Dallas, secluded and alone. Which, if she let herself be honest, was no life at all.

-the influence of a fae-

School was a mix of opportunities and hardship for a telepathic teenager.

Sookie could vaguely remember being around people before her abilities became a 'curse.' She would go to daycare with eleven other two year olds and sit on the swing set out back, just listening to the others' thoughts. She'd watch as Travis chased Cindy around because he wanted to pull on her pretty hair. Of course, Cindy couldn't hear him like Sookie could and didn't know he just wanted to be her friend. Instead of playing with him, she'd grabbed a handful from the sandbox and shoved it into Travis' mouth. Sookie was entertained for hours by her playmates.

High school was similar in the way that drama was everywhere and no one understood anyone else. Hormones ran high and trying to navigate your way around the emotions was as dangerous as running across a minefield. And while Sookie could easily avoid being blown to bits, it was taxing.

Since entering elementary school, she'd always been a loner, but Sookie prided herself on always being kind and polite. As the years went by, she had to constantly toe the line between courtesy and a friendship that would jeopardize her secret.

Keeping her secret wasn't a big a strain anymore after years of practice. Early on, she'd learned how to block other's from her mind. She had to or she'd drown in the hundreds of voices that filled the halls and her mind. So, slowly, she'd built up the shields in her mind and strengthened them. She'd practice on being able to block out everyone and slowly lower it enough to only hear certain people.

She'd become a master at manipulating her mind, but it took a lot of energy and concentration. It was easiest to have her shield up part way so that she only heard the thoughts of those closest to her. It wasn't very hard to maintain unlike trying to shield everyone out of her head for every second of the day. She learned quickly to only answer questions that she saw come from someone's mouth. The first time she'd answered someone's errant thought on the playground had been a disaster that ended with everyone thinking her weird. Luckily, children's minds are easily distracted, so the incident was forgotten, but Sookie knew that would only happen so many times before someone zeroed in on it and found the truth.

Tests were ongoing moral trials. While she was good at school and studied every night in the silence of her room, she was always tempted to cheat. Sometimes she would overhear a teacher planning a pop quiz, but should she use this information to study beforehand when her classmates didn't have the same chance?

When she knew that a test was coming, she could prepare herself and make sure she had the mental and emotional stability to block everyone out from her head for the duration of the exam. When a quiz did take her by surprise and the nerves got to her, she would accidentally hear answers in another's head. Should she put the answer down, especially if she'd been on the fence about it being A or C? She would have eventually guessed C, but was it fair now that she knew Andy Jensen, the smartest guy in the class was answering C as well? Should she just leave it blank?

High school is stressful for any teen, but unlike everyone else, study hall and a trip to the library didn't provide an escape for Sookie. Sure, she could focus a bit more on blocking others out, but it only made her more tired.

Lunch was worse because everyone grew louder in their attempt to blow off steam. While Sookie was no stranger to crowds, the difference from about fifteen kids in a classroom quietly working to over a hundred people all trying to be heard over each other was intense. Add that to the stronger emotions that came with the lunchroom environment and no matter how long she had practiced control with her gift, just keeping her hands away from her ears was a daunting task.

The easiest class she had was music, or more specifically, choir. Unlike any other class she had where students worked at their own pace, in choir, the whole class had to move at the same tempo.

Unlike many schools that let anyone join choir and had maybe a hundred students, this choir was selective. Mr. Fischer was picky about who he let in his choir because he took music seriously. There were auditions every year for anyone who wanted to try out. The idea of having to be critiqued on your voice was enough to scare away half the people who would have signed up just to fill their extracurricular slot in their school schedule. And if anyone goofed off, they were dismissed from the class without a second chance. Since he was responsible for both the high school and middle school choirs, he made it clear that he would tolerate anyone wasting his time. Everyone there was there because of their love of music and everyone was on task.

Imagine forty or so minds all focused on the same thing. It was the closest thing Sookie got to a break.

While Sookie would never be a pop star or a famous country singer, she could hold a tune. Her voice wasn't smooth as honey like Dara's or as bold and commanding as Katie's, but her range was wide and she could sing either alto or soprano parts for any of the songs and helped balance out the sound of the choir well.

Since she hadn't been able to sign up for Intro to Keyboards in seventh grade, Mr. Fischer had allowed her to come to his room during her free periods to play on one of the keyboards as long as she used headphones and didn't interrupt any of the music classes he taught. After many months of teaching herself how to play, Sookie had asked Mr. Fischer if he could help her find the sheet music for the Beatle's "_Hey Jude"_. After that, she had developed not quite a friendship, but a respect with her teacher based on a mutual passion for music and classic song (of which Sookie had developed from her Grandmother).

Soon, Mr. Fischer was helping her as she learned the chords for different songs and also steered her towards the guitar. Unlike with the keyboards, the school allowed him to sign out guitars to students so that they could practice at home. Even though Sookie wasn't in that class either, Mr. Fischer made an exception. Eventually, she was able to convince her parents to buy a guitar of her own and all summer long she had practiced until changing chords was like second nature.

Mr. Fischer's room was one of the few places in school Sookie felt comfortable. As luck would have it, choir was her last class, so every school day ended on a slightly better note than when it had began.

-the influence of a fae-

Most mornings were a dance.

Corbett would be up before anyone, getting dressed and eating breakfast. He would save waking up Michelle and Sookie until last before he left for work. Once, Sookie had woken up early and went to join her father at the table. He had gotten fidgety and left for work before finishing his coffee. She didn't join him again. Sometimes, if she woke before her father came, she would lay in bed and play possum, just to make sure her father had to see her once in the morning.

As Sookie would get ready for school upstairs, Michelle would make her a packed lunch. When she came down for breakfast, her mother would go upstairs to get dressed. Just before the bus came, Michelle would come down and guide her out the door. She would then wait on the front porch as Sookie went and stood with her peers at the bus stop. Even though she was now in high school, her mother still watched from the porch until the bus came. But, by the time she was seated and looked back, Michelle was gone, the front door shut and locked behind her.

Sookie had never come across anybody who could beat her parents at avoidance. But, the mornings were easy. It was at the end of the day that the dance became more intricate. They would eat around the table like any family and talk about their day. Michelle would iron and hang up dress shirts as Sookie folded the other clothes. And when Corbett sat down to watch Jeopardy, Sookie would try to guess the questions as well.

If you looked at the surface, everything was great. But, Sookie had never in her life been able to look only at the surface. So, she saw her father's body tense before she sat down in the living room and she could feel the invisible barrier her mother used when they stood close. And they were fooling no one when they feigned interest in her day. The only reason they listened so closely was to make sure they heard anything that might mean trouble.

But Sookie pretended she didn't. She pushed her shield's limits harder at home than she ever did at school. She would block her parents' thoughts until she had a migraine and the minute she noticed any unease, it was instantly forgotten. Though she had once craved her parents' attention and acceptance, she now went along with their game, even going so far as to actively participate in it. She needed to believe that everything was normal, that this was just how families worked. It was the only way she could stay sane.

So, maybe there was someone better at avoidance.

Sunday night had been easy. Corbett mentioned that she must be tired from the trip and Sookie took the hint. Even though it was a stretch, Sookie used the excuse of needing to finish unpacking on Monday. No one called her on it.

But by Tuesday night, it was back to the same old, same old. She cooked dinner and had it on the table when Corbett and Michelle came home around six. By six forty-five, the table was cleared, dishes were washed, and leftovers were in the fridge. Corbett sat at the table going over legal papers while Michelle called Donna, her store clerk, and talked business. Sookie dusted and swept. At 7:30, Corbett was done and sitting in the lounge chair to watch his show and Michelle retreated to the backyard to paint the sunset. Her homework was already done and it was too early to be an acceptable time to go to bed, so Sookie grabbed a book and read on the couch. Once the clock chimed 8:30, Sookie was wishing her parents a good night and heading upstairs to the sactuary of her room.

Wednesday's were a reprieve.

Corbett and Michelle attended the Adult Bible Study at Benson Hill Church. It had at one time been a monthly gathering, but since the vampires had come out of the coffin two years ago, it was deemed a weekly necessity. Sookie was just thankful there was only one other teen in high school and therefor no Youth Group or she knew she would be driven there personally by both her parents.

But this Wednesday would be even better.

Michelle flew through the front door at 5:17pm, throwing business record books on the table and new craft materials in the closet. She raced up the steps to get to the master bedroom, her long coat flapping as if the wings of a bird.

"Whoa!" Sookie opened her door just in time to see her mother flash by. She followed her to her parents' room to find the older woman grabbing her Bible and one of the numerous notepads she kept with her at all times in order to scribble down ideas or plans.

"Why are you acting like a chicken with its head cut off? The bible study doesn't start until 7:30."

Michelle looked up from slipping on the flats for which she had exchanged her heels. "Sookie! Tonight's the final meeting to get everything ready for the picnic and lock in! Did you forget?"

The light bulb went off. Benson Hill and her sister church held three events throughout the year in order to gather their congregations together in friendship and worship. For this spring's event, The Fellowship of the Sun had invited Benson Hill over for games, campfires, a night under the stars, and a sunrise service they planned to hold outside. Of course, this meant that the adults from both churches got together to plan the event and divide responsibility equally.

"Oh, right," Sookie responded weakly. "Um, do you need me come with again?" _Please say no, please say no. Please!_

Michelle shook her head as she pulled her long, blonde hair back into a barrette. At the meeting last month, it had been nice for Sookie to be there and 'help' plan games for the children, but this time the Adult Group would be finalizing time tables and confirming that all the food had been bought and tables and equipment had been rented. There was no need for her daughter to make a public appearance.

"No, you should stay here."

For one moment, the two stood there, barely breathing as the words hung in the air.

"- and finish your homework. You probably didn't even work on your history assignment at all, what with all the time you spent playing games with your brother!" Michelle spun around to grab her purse as she finished her explanation.

Making sure she had everything she needed, she walked out of the room, her daughter following. "Your father is going to the church straight from work," she threw over her shoulder as she descended the staircase. "So, you'll be responsible for your own dinner. We won't be home until ten thirty, eleven at the latest."

She stopped at the front door and turned back to the teen. Sookie blinked up at her mother, wondering if she would brave a short hug. Michelle hesitated before reaching out and putting her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Make sure you get to bed at a decent time. You have school tomorrow." With a squeeze, she turned and was out the door.

The click of the door sounded before Sookie could respond. "Sure." From the foyer, she could hear the car engine start up and then fade as it was driven away.

Silence.

Sookie shook herself. Why was she feeling sad? She didn't want to go to the meeting where all they would do was drone on and on about plans this and double checking that and she sure as heck wanted a night of peace. She shoved the feeling of neglect away and grabbed her own purse. If her parents were out, that meant that she could be also.

As she walked down the sidewalk, Sookie thought back to the past fall. It had been particularly rough coming back to Dallas after the summer break and the confinement had made her want to rip out her hair. Lala and Tara would have invented a few new swear words if she had, so she focused her energy elsewhere. Literally.

One particular evening, Michelle was working late at the store, leaving Corbett and Sookie to tango around the house alone. Tension grew and Sookie became fed up with her father's avoidance (for goodness sakes, he had left the living room to escape to his office before the football game had reached half time), Sookie had "gone to bed" early. After fuming for a few minutes, she decided to do something she hadn't even dared think about for the sake of her parents.

Opening her window just as the sun set, she grabbed hold of a nearby tree limb and dropped to the ground. Freedom.

The lights from stores and hotels were amazing as she walked the streets, finally exploring the city in which she was born. It had been an irrational fear, but Sookie had thought the people of Dallas would stare at her, as if they could tell she didn't belong there. The truth was the exact opposite. Everyone was moving and, as long as you were moving too, no one paid any attention to anyone else. In fact, hiding in this crowd was easier than it was in school.

Tonight, she walked down the same streets, passing the same quick-mart and video store as that first night. She stopped at a sub store for dinner before heading towards the old, vinyl store with which she had fallen in love.

Vinnie greeted her as he did all his customers upon entering _Rollin' Records_. In all reality, it was just an old warehouse that had been cleaned up. The first floor was wide open with rows of tables, each holding boxes filled with music. Stairs on either side of the building led to the second floor which was little more than a few offices that now served as an employee lounge and listening rooms. Record players and headphones could be found in each room.

Each of the four times Sookie had been able to escape to the record store, there had only ever been a handful of people in the store. This time was no different. That guy in the beanie hat was back and a couple in their forties was browsing the classical section. She smiled as the two joked about the other's taste.

For almost three hours, she went through different bins, picking out albums she liked. She listened to a few songs on them and then chose the ones she had to take home with her. Today, she purchased two; The Carpenters' _"Singles"_ and AC-DC's "_Highway to Hell."_ She couldn't' wait to use Gran's record player and she knew Lala would love her find!

She walked out of the store, head bent as she put her wallet into her purse, until she crashed into someone and was knocked to the ground. Her records flung from her grasp onto the sidewalk, right into the mass of people making their way home from a late night at work or on their way to a bar or club.

Before she could catch her breath and yell at the suburban slut whose five inch stilettos were about to snap Bon Scott in half, a pair of Alden Moccasin shoes stopped her.

"Careful! You wouldn't want to reduce a classis to shards, would you?" A teen, who couldn't be more than a year or two older than Sookie, smiled as he stepped in front of the woman. He wore a simple white shirt and gray pants, but the material screamed of quality and wealth.

"Though there couldn't be a better end for anything than to be done in by a beautiful woman," a deep southern drawl added. A man stepped beside the teen. He looked to be in his thirties and embodied the look of a flashy and confident cowboy in his black hat, jeans, and boots.

Sookie could just see the woman and her three friends melt on the spot.

_Oh my goodness! Look at the two of them. Major hotness points!_

_What was he saying? Shared classics? Ugh, I can't look away from that face! If only he was a few years older._

_Oh, those boots are so sexy! I'm such a sucker for cowboys._

But, worst of all was the woman wearing the red pumps who was responsible of AC-DC's near death. Her thoughts felt heavy and thick like smoke, tinted with a hue of royal purple that just screamed horny.

_Come on, big boy. I'll do you in real good._

Sookie scowled at the ladies but they didn't notice. She doubted they'd rip their eyes away from the men in front of them if an eighteen-wheeler was barreling towards them, horn blaring. Although, the mental image of these bubble brains flatter than the records eased her irritation slightly.

She stood and brushed off her pants. She wanted to sigh. While going into the city was an adventure and a nice escape from her life, as the night wore on, her nerves would build. A part of her was always worried her parents would find her empty bed and her little piece of paradise would be stripped away.

And now, she was taking those worries out on these women who, yes, may have almost ruined her music and, yes, were checking out someone half their age like cats in heat, but it wasn't right to get upset at them. Wishing them made into sidewalk pancakes was uncalled for and Gran would be appalled.

Stepping forward, she stretched out her hand and tried to smile. "Good evening. I'm Soo-"

"Are these yours?" Red pumps, or Desperate Slut as Sookie wanted to christen her, picked up the records and held them out to cowboy. She flicked her sleek hair over her shoulder, standing straighter to show off her figure in the black mini-dress she wore.

"Oh! Actually, they're mi-" Sookie was interrupted again.

"You have great taste in music." Desperate Slut stepped forward, a hairs breath away from her prey. "Do you have great taste in other areas, too?"

_I bet he does in all the right places,_ the other Suburban Sluts agreed.

Sookie almost gaged. Was this woman serious?

Forget manners. She'd take those freakin' pancakes and sew together a nice welcome mat for Gran's front porch!

"Yea'," his drawl went deeper. "But, I bet you taste even better."

She stared in disbelief. Maybe she'd been a bit sheltered in the small town that was Bon Temps (God knew she was sheltered here), but Sookie could read minds. People thought about sex all the time. Images couldn't be scrubbed away as much as she wished it so. But, she'd never encountered anyone who acted so brazen in public before!

"You lookin' to have a good time?" Cowboy Bob asked, hands gone to the gigantic belt buckle he wore.

This time Sookie couldn't hold back the dramatic gag, which broke the moment and grabbed everyone's attention. She turned bright red under the glare of Cowboy and the four pairs of Slut eyes that seemed to be judging her as less than the dirty concrete beneath their shoes. Their thoughts were even worse and Sookie winced.

But, unlike his angry companion, the teen watched her as if trying to catch every detail of a puzzle that had eluded him until this moment. He suddenly burst out laughing.

Now, Cowboy turned to scowl at Giggle Box, but he didn't comment.

Sookie wondered if it was to be any more embarrassed. Five horny adults who were furious to be interrupted by a _'prudish, little child,'_ a teen who had at first seemed to be rather bored but was now abundantly amused, and her, the child whose face was on fire and, apparently, the focal point of everything hilarious; what a sight they must make.

The teen started to calm and Cowboy's attention returned to the woman. Another S.S. went to him in her slinky top and barely there jean skirt.

"Why don't we go somewhere more private," she stage whispered. "Somewhere that we won't be interrupted." AN icy glare was sent to Sookie before her focus went back to the man.

He smirked. "That sounds like a great idea."

"Stan," the teen spoke up. "We have other things that need to be done." Cowboy frowned, but he didn't protest.

Desperate Slut's mind turned a bolder and deeper shade of purple as the red tint of aggression mixed into it. "Oh, come on now, sweetie. You can join us if you'd like." Her smile fell just short of sweet and landed on the strong side of sleazy.

Great. Now they actually were propositioning a minor. But, to Sookie's surprise, the teen declined.

"No, thank you. We really do have other things that demand our attention." He smiled slightly and took the records that were still clutched in the woman's hand. Looking into her eyes, he continued. "Thank you, but I don't wish to waste anymore of your time. You should continue on with your original plans for tonight."

She nodded slowly and turned to her friends. "He's right. If we don't get going, we'll miss meeting up with Megan and she'd got the VIP passes. Let get going, girls." Though they looked a bit confused at the abrupt departure, the others followed after her as she strutted down the street, all confidence and snoot.

Sookie stood frozen. Why hadn't she realized it earlier? She'd been so focused on Ditz, Blonde, Bubble, and Trouble to pay attention. But the second the slut's thoughts went to static and she left without a struggle, Sookie had known. These two were vampires.

And now they were both focused on her.

"Uh…" She fidgeted, uneasy. There were fewer people on the street, but enough that she hoped these two wouldn't try anything against her will. "Sorry. I didn't mean that," she babbled. "I really didn't mean to insult you. I just couldn't believe you actually said that aloud!"

His growl stopped her from continuing to fumble through an apology. Maybe she should work on that before spouting off whatever came to mind to someone who could drain her dry, and, oh yeah, was already upset with her.

"Stan," the teen spoke softly, but there was a strong undercurrent. A warning? Or command?

"Forgive me, Godric." For the first time, Cowboy, or Stan as he had been called twice now, lowered his head and stepped back, becoming a smaller and more submissive presence.

Godric nodded, accepting his underling's apology. He stepped forward, offering the records. "I believe these are yours."

Sookie's eyes widened as she looked at him. "Oh! I- um- yes." She took her music and sighed in relief. This vampire was old and very powerful, but he didn't have the same vicious drive as the other vampires she had met. He wouldn't harm her or allow Stan to either.

"Thank you," she added as she stepped back. "And I really am sorry for any insult I implied. I'm just not used to such open… propositions." She lowered her head to hide the blush that returned with a vengeance.

"That's quite alright." In fact, it was something he wished she wouldn't apologize for. While there had always been woman who knew how to tempt men, flirting had once been an art. Now, most women had no modesty and threw themselves at the nearest body with a bulge in their pants. This girl was pleasantly surprising.

With a smile, Godric lowered his head. "Have a pleasant night." He turned and walked down the street, knowing Stan would follow. Once he rounded the corner and was out of sight, he took off. He had orders from the King to fulfill.

-the influence of a fae-

The area had been scrubbed with cleaner, but a vampire could smell the blood.

Stan knelt down to inspect the pavement as Godric scanned the dead-end alley. It had almost been washed away, but there were still traces of chalk on the brick walls.

The sheriff sighed. "The King was correct in his suspicions."

Stan ran his fingers over the slight stain on the ground. Severn had spent his last moment on earth here. A howl of pain erupted from inside his chest.

Emotions other than anger and hunger were rare from the three hundred odd year old vampire, but Severn had been own of the few he befriended. Turned only a few decades after Stan, they had formed an unlikely bond, almost close enough to be brothers.

Godric wished to console his charge, but it would only make Stan feel worse, the acknowledgement that his emotions were not in control.

Instead, he gave an order. "Go back to the nest and inform Isobel and then go with her to inform his maker, Talya. Dawn will be approaching, so we will wait until sunset to investigate any further, but we must find out all we can as fast as possible. The King wishes to know everything by the beginning of next week."

Stan nodded. "I will be sure to carry on the news, but are you not coming back to the nest as well?"

"No." Godric nodded to the design on the wall. "I want a look at Severn's shop first. I've seen this design there and want another look."

-the influence of a fae-

The lock to the gothic store had been shot and the door was still open. The shelves were overturned and glass countertops were smashed.

Severn had laughed at the crazy things humans would do to become a part of the vampire world, so he'd opened a store. It was almost a "how to" to becoming a fangbanger. Dark clothes lined one wall, jewelry of all kinds but silver sat in the case at the register. Black nail polish, lipstick, and eyeliner hid its own place by the hair-dyes. Metal band CDs filled one side of a bookshelf and gothic romance novels filled the other. There were even books on ancient myths that included stories on "the children of the damned."

It was all overpriced, but "vampire approved."

The real stuff was hidden in the back. Books on witches, Weres, and other Supes stayed in the office. And, it looked as if no one had disturbed the area, but there was a scent that didn't belong.

One book in particular had a deep green, almost black leather binding and a silver symbol on the spine. Godric pulled it from the shelf and stared and the cover. A ring of silver faded out to gold and was surrounded by flames. Inside, a tree was depicted, wrapped in and bound to the earth by chains.

He ran his fingers over the title.

_**Krigare om Sol**_

A shiver ran up his spine. His instincts told him someone else was there, but before he could move, something stabbed him in the arm and his vision instantly swam. The last thought that ran though his mind before it went dark was that he hoped he didn't wake to the dawn.

**TBC**

Dun, dun, dun! Oh no! What happened to Godric? Will Eric be able to feel him and come to the rescue? Did Stan actually care about someone other than himself? Holy sh#_!

Are people interested in how Sunday night went with Eric, Gran, and Jason? I've started writing that as a one-shot or something, but if people just want me to get on with the story, I'll drop the idea.

Also, first person to guess the correct language (DON'T CHEAT BY LOOKING IT UP) that is written on the book gets a prize!

**Random sh- that runs through my head:**

So, for a Glee Puckleberry story, what if Berry's dads were a doctor and a lawyer? Totally could threaten Puck that with medical talents and knowledge of law, they would get away with murder! :P

Anyone else watching Vampire Diaries and just waiting for something to happen with Elena? I mean, being the doppleganger must mean something! I mean, her blood is the key to freakin' hybrids. There must have been something special about her family line for the Original Witch to use it in such an important spell. I want her to turn into some kick-a$$ warrior. She's already training! :)

"A large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life by him who interests his heart in everything."

Laurence Sterne


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